The present invention relates to a device which reduces the risk of injury or damage occurring when a weapon impacts against a human being or an object.
In both military and civilian handling of firearms a large number of accidents occur every year in which injury is caused to people or damage to objects. In the handling of handguns it also happens that, for example, personal injury occurs when teeth are damaged or knocked out, because someone strikes the barrel of the weapon. Such accidents occur on many different occasions, for example in troop transport. In such transport, it is common that the soldiers sit with the weapon in front of them and support the butt of the weapon against the floor. In such instance, the barrel of the weapon is at face height. When the vehicle bumps and shakes while moving, there is a risk that the barrel of the weapon strike some part of the body. On such occasions, facial injuries and injuries to other parts of the body are unfortunately not uncommon.
Also on other occasions, for example on manoeuvres, on embarking or disembarking from means of transport etc., a soldier may be injured by his own weapon or his comrade""s weapon. Material, which, for example, accompanies such transport may be damaged when the barrel of a weapon strikes the material.
It is obvious that there is a need for a device which reduces the risk of damage and injury of the above-type.
As regards military weapons, there is a need that the device can be employed regardless of whether the weapon is used for shooting with live or blank ammunition.
An object of the invention is to provide a device which satisfies the above needs. Hereafter the designation impact protection device will generally be employed for the device according to the invention.
The impact protection device according to the present invention is of a design and includes parts which consist of material which is deformed when the weapon strikes against something. As a rule, the impact protection device is designed such that the portions which are deformed consist of a material which reassumes its original form once the deforming forces aimed at the impact protection device have ceased.
As a result of the capability of the impact protection device to absorb impact and jolts, the risk is reduced that a person be injured or an object be damaged when a weapon with a mounted impact protection device strikes with its muzzle against the person or the object. Naturally, the risk that the weapon itself be damaged is also reduced.
Further objects and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description.